Aklilu Mulat has thirty years of experience in administrative and financial as well as senior executive leadership within the business and not-for-profit environment. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Fellow, Certified Management Accountant. In addition, he has taught managerial accounting at Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and basic accounting and management at Trinity Western University. Born in Ethiopia, Aklilu moved to Canada in 1979 to pursue a university education. He currently resides in Port Moody, BC with his family.

Amal is a Masters student at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University. Her research interests center around race, climate justice, migration, health promotion, and community capacity in the domain of urban and regional planning. Amal graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelors of Art in French and Sustainable Development, and a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. At Solid State, Amal was previously a coordinator with Open City Events.

France Stanley is from Iraq and lives in Surrey, BC. He is a Safe Schools Liaison with the Safe Schools department of the Surrey School District; previously, he was an assistant manager at McDonald’s. He is one of the founders of Solid State and is now a student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. France remains a critical mentor and pillar of support for many youths both inside and outside of Solid State.

Dr. Gretchen Ferguson has over 20 years of experience with community-engaged research and learning in Latin America and Canada related to sustainable communities, community economic development, indigenous economies and decolonization, social economy, and co-op development. She has catalyzed and led multiple projects and programs at SFU, in the Centre for Sustainable Community Development, the Sustainable Development Program, and the Office of Community Engagement. She is currently working as Director, Global Engagement at SFU.

Halah is a graduate student in clinical counselling with a keen interest in the biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects of addiction and recovery. Her work is aimed at lowering barriers in her communities to mental health care rooted in cultural competency.

Halah is grateful to live on the territories of the Coast Salish xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ / sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. Halah always makes time to read, cultivate her love of languages and be near the ocean.

Isaac K. Oommen is co-founder of Solid State and a former youth worker. He is co-editor for New Canadian Media and global head of programs and relations for the Pacific Link group of colleges. Formerly, he co-founded the Vancouver Media Co-op in 2009 and started multiple youth initiatives across the Lower Mainland. He is now semi-based out of his native Kerala, with frequent travel across MENA. He misses Surrey like you would not believe.

Josiane Anthony lives in Surrey and is currently studying law and sociology with an interest in refugee and immigration issues. She is a program coordinator leading refugee youth programs for the Immigrant Services Society and the Vancouver Foundation’s Youth Advisory Team. Josiane has served as National Youth Arts Coordinator for the Michaelle Jean Foundation and as creator and evaluator of BC Youth EngagementToolkit for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She is also the co-founder of the Black Before February arts collective and event, and co-editor of From the Root zine.

As a creative and solution-focused administrator, Lily has spearheaded complex program and policy initiatives across a variety of sectors including non-profits, communities and public institutions. Some highlights include the development of multi-million-dollar programming for immigrants, the creation of community-led youth initiatives in under-served communities and the development of equity policies for community organizations. She currently sits on the board of Vancity Credit Union. Her expertise includes values-based leadership, partnership development, stakeholder engagement, program design/management and policy development initiatives.

Neelam Sahota is a senior executive with more than twenty years of experience in all aspects of executive leadership. She is the CEO of the DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants Association of BC and has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Her passion lies in creating community impact through resource connections, innovative economic drivers and values-based community partnerships. Neelam currently serves on several boards and advisory committees throughout the Lower Mainland.

Sirish Rao is a writer, event producer and publishing professional. He is the co-founder and artistic director of Vancouver’s annual Indian Summer Festival of the arts and ideas. Before moving to Vancouver, Sirish was the director of the award-winning Tara Books, which he helped grow from a start-up into one of India’s most important publishing houses. As a writer, he has authored several books from commentaries on popular culture to children’s books and retellings of Greek plays. His books have been translated into seventeen languages and won several international awards. Sirish is also an adjunct professor in the Publishing Department of Simon Fraser University.

Sukh has led multi-sectoral responses to significantly improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. He has over 15 years of leadership experience in education and community planning.

Most recently, Sukh has led organizations to scale up their impact by utilizing a developmental approach to achieve higher levels of engagement. These organizations were characterized by purposeful activity and commitment to exceptional experiences for those that it served.

He has earned a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and adopted a solution-focused clinical approach. Sukh also holds Bachelor’s degrees in both Education and Science.

Vanessa Richards is an artist and community engagement facilitator whose work focuses on creativity and participatory culture as central to social well-being. Richards is the founder and choir leader for Van Van Song Society and director of Creative Together, bringing collective singing for deeper connections to ideas and people. She is on the advisory committee for the RADIUS Fellowship at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business and a producer/facilitator for the Social Venture Institute with Hollyhock Leadership Institute. For her work in community engagement Richards was the recipient of the 2018 City of Vancouver’s Mayor’s Achievement Award.

A nationally recognized public school educator and the founder/director of MustangJustice, a justice oriented service leadership youth organization, Annie Ohana is an anti oppression curriculum specialist and proud teacher at LA Matheson Secondary in Surrey. Intersectional Solidarity Action, Transformational Thinking, and Mentorship Through Identity lie at the root of her pedagogy. She is honoured to serve as an advisor and an accomplice for the amazing work being done across the realm of anti oppression. Here is to Intersectional Empowerment for All.